Brenda McKernan – owner of bespoke eyewear emporium Eyeworks London – spills on spectacles, celeb-spotting at her Kensington store and how to choose the correct frames for your face!
Tell us a little bit about yourself and how long have you’ve been running the store?
Eyeworks London champions independent niche eyewear brands over the mass-produced licenced ones. I started the business with my husband, just over 9 years ago.
How did you originally get into optometry?
I loved studying the sciences at school and wanted to do something combining that and working with people.
Like most teenage girls I also loved fashion at the time, but didn’t think I could combine all three (science, fashion and people) but creating Eyeworks London has made that possible!
What’s the biggest trend right now in eyewear?
Metals have become a huge trend over the last few years. If I was to be specific, our round double bar Ahlem Bastille frames epitomise this trend.
What are the basic rules in terms of do’s and don’ts choosing the right eyewear for your face shape?
A lot of people will tell you to choose the opposite shape from face shape – for example, don’t choose a round frame if you have a round face.
There is some value to this, but it can be confusing as most people don’t have easily identifiable face shapes.
Instead, one basic rule is to look at the top of the frame and how they interact with the eyebrows…
Some people need an arch on their frame as the top can look quite flat and severe. Others wearing an arched frame can look a little surprised and a bit ‘Dame Edna’ – generally people are either one or the other!
Which celebrities/influencers’ looks impress you in the eyewear game, just in terms of just getting it right every time?
That’s a difficult one! Greg Wallace from MasterChef has a great collection of glasses, I also love Naga Munchetty’s Kirk and Kirk specs.
Who’s the most famous person that’s come into Eyeworks (confidentiality permitting)?
We have lots of high profile actors visiting our shop – mostly visiting us for our contact lens for film work. Hugh Jackman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett…the list goes on!
What’s your opinion on wearing frames without lenses?
Not really a fan. I think you need to be under 25 to get away with that!
